You have to ask yourself the question, Is it your illness that has driven them away or is it your attitude to your illness that has done it. I don't mean to minimise what your going through but sometimes we dwell so much on our illness we forget the things we enjoyed together as friends. To a degree I think we all become a dit self odsorbed and think we can't live a normal life like before and that's true to a degree. But we can, only slower and not so often. My children bought me a wheelchair for my 54 birthday and initially I hated it, but now I love it because I still get to go pretty much everywhere with them. Remember you have the control to make things better. You don't need heaps of friends, only a couple, Go on anti anxiety meds if you have to, don't talk about your illness all the time, invited people to yours for card games or craft days, or wine and movie days, have an emergency supply of ABs and prednisone at home, and an emergency plan when things go bad. Most of all, there are so many organisations out there wanting to help, let them. Is it scary having our disease and the anxiety and depression. Absolutely no question barr none. Will the illness end my life? Yes, but not today or tomorrow. So today I'll take my oxygen and my meds, read a book, bake biscuits and enjoy the fact that today I can breathe.

along with, and to help produce laughter or at least a smile, I try to think on the positive - what I can do, not what I can not do; friends who remain and encourage me! Staying positive is not easy, but it certainly makes daily living so much better for both myself and those I love.

I agree with most of you but I have learned to take it slower and I have big tanks as well as little ones so I pack extra tanks so I can enjoy my grandkids at ball games. When I go to Walmart I just put a big tank inside of cart and use the cart to lean on, makes it easier to get around and if I over do it then I just stop for 2-4 minutes and turn my oxygen up to 5 liters and then once I get settled back down then it goes back down to 3 or 4 liters. Its difficult if humidity is up and then I stay inside air conditioned buildings and even go to auction house on Thursdays just to get out of house with the wife. For some reason I'm still losing weight and I eat like a horse especially on the buffet tables but to no avail. I also have COPD and emphysema which make it a bit mor severe but not giving up. Hope everyone has a great and blessed weekend.

I have found that if I show more interest in others and get out of my own head, I feel better and people are drawn closer. If all anyone hears is how miserable we are, they feel helpless and in most cases back off. I don't mean to sound harsh, but this has worked for me. I came to the conclusion that just because I suffer with this disease, I have no right to make those close to me suffer with it, too. Be gentle with yourself, but be gentle with others, too.

@A MyCOPDTeam Member thanks for your candid response. You opened my eyes about the wheelchair. I was just talking about this with another member and even though my kids have suggested it I refused. I feel it is giving in but starting to realize I am missing out. My kids are active and grandkids love grandma to be with them but if it involves more than about 2 hours out and much walking I can't do it. I tried couple weeks ago and thought I was going pass out. My friends like walk the pier and have lunch but I can't make it to the end. So your right in asking ourself if part of it is us. I rarely talk about my disease and don't want people to pamper me. But sounds like I am going have let go of some pride like I did wearing my 02 in public & rethink wheelchair.

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